"Norway has reaffirmed its plans to buy the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, with its new defence White Paper also outlining a possible acceleration in first deliveries of the type.

Oslo in 2008 selected the conventional take-off and landing F-35A to replace its Lockheed F-16AM/BM fighters, and has already ordered an initial four to support its future training requirements. The first two of these could be delivered a year early, in 2015, according to the 23 March document."

"...The [white] paper said Norway aimed to buy 52 F-35 fighter jets, including four training planes, from 2015 through 2023 or 2024, a plan that would see initial funding flow to Lockheed in 2013.

The previous plan called for Norway to buy 48 planes from 2016 through 2020, according to a document prepared for the F-35 program office, with initial funding to begin in 2014.

Norway said stretching the orders over a longer period would give it greater flexibility and help spread out the cost more evenly. It said it was not revising its estimate for procurement cost of the planes, despite changes in orders by the United States and other countries that could drive the price higher.

The Norwegian statement noted that the country's parliament would be involved in each yearly acquisition of aircraft, and said the final six orders for production planes would be confirmed at a later stage...."

"...The Norwegian government notes that “despite changes made by other partner nations, Norway finds that its previous and robust real-cost estimates remain accurate.”...

...with operational fighters being bought starting in 2017....

...The F-35s are to be based at Orland air base, with Evenes air base serving as a smaller operating location for quick-reaction duties in the north.

Defense Minister Espen Barth Eide, a strong supporter of buying the aircraft, notes that “the purpose of the adjusted procurement plan is to give the Norwegian government greater financial freedom to maneuver during the years of the main procurement by spreading out the cost more evenly. We believe this new schedule better balances this concern with the introduction of a vital new capability to the Norwegian armed forces.”